Hopper bottom load discharging car



m E. ZIMMER HOPPEM BOTTOM LOAD DISCHARGING CAR 3 Sheets-Sheet l smv gawd

A TTORNE Y March 4, 1952 A. E. ZIMMER HOPPER BOTTOM LOAD DISCHARGING CAR Filed April 8. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet I2 r f r r f ATTORNEY March 4, 1952 A. E. ZIMMER HOPPER BOTTOM LOAD DISCHRGING LR` Filed April 8. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNI TE D STATES PAT E NLT O 2,588,316

HOPPERBOTTOMLOAD DISCHARGING CAR' Albert ErgZimmer, Chicago, Ill-.Lassignorto EnterfV prise `Railway;Equipment` Company,4 Chicago, l Ill., a corporationof Illinois ApplicationApril 8, 1948,V Serial-No.- 19,805 l This invention relates to hopper lbottom loaddischarging cars, moreespecially to a type suitablefor economical track ballasting service, and

the like, and has for an object the provisionof.,

new` and improved mechanisms for `operating the drop doors thereof.

Anothervobject of the invention is to provide Winding mechanisms which employ sprocket link means whereby the chains may be` connected ordisconnected with reference to the winding sprockets with a minimum of labor and cost.`

A still further object of the invention is to provide winding mechanisms which include sprocket wheels eccentric in shape, and so mounted onwthe operating `shaft asto provide for a minimum of torsion on the;shaft and which vary the speed-force ratio, dependent upon the positionsmof the doors durngoperation thereof.

Other -and `further objects of the inventiongwill appear i from the specification4 and annexed claims,` and from the accompanying udrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a tranverse sectional View of the llower portion of a hopper bottom load dischargincar, showingl the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is -an enlarged, broken, part sectional view, through a portion of the car on theV line 2:-2 of Fig. 1, and showing mechanism foropf erating the center doors;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, broken, vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; 4

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, end elevation of the sprocket `.and chain mechanism employedinfconnection with the invention;

Fig.5 is afragmentary sectional viewpof, the construction shown in Fig. 4, and corresponding substantially to the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, exploded, clinographic perspective view of the chain links employed in connection'with the invention.

As shown in the drawings, the car itself may be of a conventional type, having longitudinally* extending hoppers Brand 9 atopposite sides of the center sill construction IU. The hoppers 8 and 9 are each formedbypoppositely inclined sheets I I and I2, the lower marginal edges I3 of which are adapted to be contacted by the free marginal edges of longitudinally extending outer doors I4 and of the inner doors I5, both the doors.`

I4 and I5 being pivotally supported upon-hinge members I6, and adapted when` fully open to rest against supports I 1.

The outer doors I4 of each set of doors at oli-.-`

posite sides of the center-sill. I0, are adapted to be operated by windingmechanisms I8 and I9 disposed beneath the hopper sheets II at each side of the car, the mechanisms I8 and I9 being identical and description of one should suflice-for both, similar referencer characters being `enlployed to designate correspondingly` similare 25, and hence of the shaft 2l, being indicated at The effective winding surface of the periph-A 26. eral rim 24 of the wheel 22, beginning adjacent to a chain attaching portion 21 of the `web 23.

is slightly attened, as at v28, to'providef a rest for a chain link, and there extends along :a curve y which progressively recedes farther fromv the center 26 until it reaches its maximum distance therefrom, as indicated at 29. A plurality of sprocket teethA 30 project radially from the rim 24 at predetermined intervals, andthe teeth 30 are contoured to nicelyt sprocket links 0f an operating chain 3|.

'Ihe chain 3I includes a plurality of alternate` links 32 and 33. Each of the links 32 is of elongated form, reduced in curved contours 34 between the ends 35, and reduced, as at `36, to lighten the construction.f The ends 35 are exteriorly rounded, and each end has an aperture 31, the defining wall of which is rslightly tapered in opposite directions to form seats 38. The

links 33 each comprisessplit sections A39, which are alike, each being reduced between its ends 40,'

and each end provided with a laterally extending slightly tapered apertured boss 4I, the bosses 4I of complementary sections of each link 33 being adapted to extend into the apertures 3T of adjacent links 32 to fit the seats 38, and adapted to be secured in position by rivets, such as indicated at 42 in Fig. 5. The links 33 between the ends are spaced so as to receive the sprocket teeth 30 upon the wheel 22.

The end link 33 may be readily attached or detached with reference to the portion 21 of the wheel, the latter being provided with an opening 43 for the reception of one of the bosses 4I and being of a thickness substantially coinciding with the length of one boss, so that a boss 4I of a complementary link section may be shifted with respect to the securing portion 2l, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, once the rivet 42 is removed. This provides for ready attachment and detachment of the chain 3| with reference to the wheel 22. The opposite end of the chain 3| may be secured to the related door I4 by the usual eye bolt 44, Z-bar and angle bar arrangement 45.

For operating the center doors I5 a somewhat heavier center shaft 46 is provided, having mounted thereon sprocket wheels 4l' and 46, similar to the wheel 22, except that the same are circularly instead of eccentrically formed and do not have the detachment feature. The chains 49 and 50 are similar to the chain 3l but single links, such as link 32, are aixed to the sprocket Wheels 4'! and 48 respectively. The chains 49 and. 50 extend through openings 5l and 52 in the walls of the center sill I0, over sheaves 59, and are connected to the inner doors I5 by connections similar to those already mentioned.

To mimimize possibility of fouling of the chains 49 and 58, a curved guard plate 54 is attached to the center sill I9 and overlies the Wheels 41 and 48, and the chains thereon, and the guard 54 operates to prevent displacement of the chains. In the event such displacement should occur, the chains will be dropped to one side or the other of the center sill walls so as to remain suspended without damage.

It will be appreciated that upon rotation of the shafts 2| the sprocket wheels 22 will be rotated and by reason of the eccentric formation thereof a greater leverage will be applied when the doors I4 are fully openand thereafter when the load becomes less the speed of closing movement is accelerated. The sprocket wheels and chains described afford substantially precision positioning and operation of the parts, and by reason of the chain and Wheel formation the chains may be readily attached or detached with reference to the wheel. Additionally, the chains employed are of exceptional strength and consequently the number of wheels and chains necessary for efcient operation will be greatly reduced.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that the same may be variously modied and changed without `departing from the spirit of the invention; accordingly, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the preferred embodiment disclosed, but consider my invention to cover all changes or modifications as come within the scope of the 'appended claims.

I claim:

1. A winding mechanism for operating the hopper door of a railway hopper car or the like, in combination, a rotatable shaft having a Winding member thereon provided with chain attaching means; and a chain adapted to be connected 4 at one end to said door, said chain having split hinged sections at the opposite end adapted to embrace said attaching means, and shiftable with respect to each other to facilitate` attachment and detachment; and means for fixing said hinged sections against detachment.

2. A winding mechanism for operating the hopper door of a railway hopper car or the like, in combination, a rotatable shaft having a sprocket wheel thereon with an apertured chain attaching portion, a chain adapted to be connected at one end to said door, said chain having split hinged sections at the opposite end having opposed bosses extending toward each other and adapted to embrace opposite sides of said attaching portion, the thickness of said apertured attaching portion being about the same as the length of one of said bosses whereby said one boss can project through the aperture in said portion while the other boss clears the same thereby facilitating attachment of said chain to said portion, and fastening means extending through said bosses for securing said hinged sections to said portion.

3. A winding mechanism for operating the hopper door of a railway hopper car or the like, in combination, a shaft, a drum fast on said shaft having a curved winding face, and a iiexible connectionvl extending between said shaft and door and adapted to be Wound on said face of said drum, said connection being formed by a series of rigid links pivotally united together, said links being curved intermediate their pivotal connection to correspond substantially to the curvature of said winding face whereby they seat bodily on said drum and provide continunity of bearing for said flexible connection.

4. TheV invention, as set forth in claim 3, wherein means are provided for deiiecting the connection from a straight line including a pivoted element having a curved face on which the links are arranged to bear, the curvature of said face corresponding substantially to that of said links.

ALBERT E. ZIMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 12,279 Kiesel Oct. 25, 1904c 268,545 Salisbury Dec. 5, 1882 437,978 Case Oct. 7, 1890 529,267 Homan Nov. 13, 1894 639,575 Holmes Dec. 19, 1899 799,075 Morse Sept. 12, 1905 934,269 Becker Sept. 14, 1909 1,009,617 Zimmerman Nov. 21, 1911 1,122,658 Streib Dec. 29, 1914 1,423,752 Burford et al July 25, 1922 1,706,610 Hosceit Mar. 26, 1929 2,288,784 Campbell July 7, 1942 2,373,538 Campbell Apr. 10, l1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,198 Great Britain May 17, 1897 of 1897 

